This invention generally relates to case packing apparatus or machines, and more specifically, to such apparatus or machines including an assembly to move a case into a preferred orientation to receive a stack of articles.
Automated machines are often used to pack articles into cases; and commonly such machines include a stacking assembly to form a stack of the articles, a case positioning assembly to position an open end of a case adjacent the stack of articles, and a pusher assembly to push the stack of articles into the open case. Typically, such case packing machines are employed in conjunction with other automated machines that are used to form the case from a flat blank, deliver the formed case to the case packing machine, and then close and seal the case after it has been loaded. In operation, commonly, the case packing machine receives a case in a first or receiving position and moves it to a second or loading position, where the case then receives the stack of articles; and after the case is loaded, it is either returned to the first, receiving position, or moved to a third position, from where the case is removed for further handling.
It is often desirable to use a particular case packing machine with cases having different sizes. Typically, however, individual prior art case packing machines are not designed to be used readily with different size cases; and, to do this, it is necessary to make very time consuming, and thus expensive, adjustments or changes to the machine. Moreover, movement of a case between the above-discussed positions may involve a number of types of motion such as both lifting and pivoting, or pivoting about a plurality of different axes, and normally a relatively complicated mechanism has been needed in order to guide and move the case along the desired path.